Draft-gear for railroad-cars.



C. T. vWESTLAKE. BRAPT GEAR POR RAILROAD CARS.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.24, 1.906.

lll

PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETOE.

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE, OF. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRANSOM DRAFT-GEAR COMPANY, OE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DRAFT-GEAR Fon RAILRoAD-cAasacitizen vofthe United States, residing at St.

Louis,.'in.thel State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement 'in Draft-` l Gear for Railroad-Cars, of which theiollowing is a specication.

My invention' relates to draft-gear for a railroad-car, and particularly to that class of draft-gear in which a single spring arranged with follower-plates in alinement with the longitudinal center of the car is applied to a metallic block or housing fixed between the middle longitudinal car-sills or directly t0 the body-bolster, and has for its object to reduce the width and consequent weight of the block or bolster by dispensing with the usual outlying'anges orlugs formed at the sides thereof for limiting the outer movement of vthe follower-plates and also to render ther draw-barfoi ,this class of draft-gear self-centering.

The invention consists in means for limiting the outer movement of the followerplates at the central part of the bolster or housing therethrough for the spring combined with auxiliary self-centering springs between ythe bolster and the draw-bar of the draft-gear, as hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, whereon..

Figure 1 is al themiddle portion-of a car-bodyl bolster with my' improved draft gear `applied thereto; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section thereofV on line 2 2 in Fig. I; Fig. 3, a vertical ytrans- 'verse section through the same von-line 3 3 in Fig. 2, omitting the draw-bar; and Fig. 4, a horizontalrsection on yline 4 4 in Fig. 3 through the front or bufiing followerplate detached.l V- Like letters and numerals of reference denote like parts inall the figures.

a repr sente the middle portion of a metal lic car-body bolster having the body centerplate 1 on its under side. and secured to the ongitudinal sills the car in the usual manner. f

Transversely through the web 2 (or middle portion) of the bolster a, which in the present case is :ll-shaped cross-sectiom-is formed a tubular-shaped'housing 3, which projects Specification of Letters Patent. Application med oaober asigne. serial No. 340.379.

horizontal' section through.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

longitudinally fromleach side of the web 2 in central alinement to' the longitudinal center of the carfor the play ofthe spring 4 (indicated by dotted lines) therethrough, the

housing 3 consisting,'preferably, of.two opposite longitudinal circular segmental walls 'communicating through their top and bottom intermediate spaces with suitablyshaped yopenings 3', formed through the web 2 for the passage therethrough of the drawbar yoke, as hereinafter more particularly referred to. 4

band b are follower-plates, which in the assembled position of the parts bear against the front and rear ends. respectively, of the spring 4. I 1

c is the draw-bar, which butts at its inner end against and is radially adjustable thereat horizontally to the front follower-plate b.

To the draw-bar c, adjacent to its bearing against the front follower-plate b, are jointed by a pin 5 or otherwise the arms 6 of a yoke d, which embraces the follower-plates b b and intermediate spring 4 in the usual manner, the arms 6 passing freely through. the aforesaid openings 3 in the web 2 of the bolster a. Eachfollow'er-plate b b, which in the present case is circular, is formed circumferentially at right angles thereto with two opposite arms 7, which are of suitable length according to that of the spring 4, each arm 7 having at its free end an outwardly-projecting iiange or lug 8, and at a suitable distance' therefrom is a second outwardly-projecting lug 9, the distance betweenltlie lugs 8 and 9 being equal to the 'length of the housing 3 lus the draftand buiing play of the foloWer plates b b respectively, or, if desired, in lieu ofthe limiting-lugs 9 the inward movement of the follower-plates?) b may be limited by a bar 10, projecting *withinA the s ring 4 from the inside of one-oi1 the said pates, with its free end at adistance freir. the other plate equal tc the said play, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig'. 1, the bar `10 in such case transmitting the thrust of the inward-movin follower-platev to the oppousite followerate and thence by lthe'arms or' l the latter an their end lugs S to the bolster a., or the bar 10 may lie loosely within the n spring/4 vbetween the'plates'b and b.

In the assembled and normal positions of the .parts the arms 7 of the front cllowerplatev (which are l reviously inserted Within the openings 3 ci) the bolster and adjusted' on the inside of the housing 3) project horizontally through thehousingl on the front side of the bolster a with their end flanges 8in engagement with the rear edge of the housing 3 and the arms 7 of the rear follower-plate b through the hous'ing 3 on the rear side ofthe bolster a with their end flan es 8 in engagement with the front edge of 51e housin 3, in which position of the follower-plates b vthe spring 4 bears circumferential'ly against or in 'proximity to thefinside oftheir arms 7, the

' c'the rear follower-p adjoining edges whereof, respectively, will be in contact with each other and the opposite ed es in roximity to the side edges of the yo e d,.w ereby the follower-plates b and b are held in place circumferentially, while free to slide longitudinally within and through the housing 3 at all times. p.

. In operation when ulling on the draw-bar llfite b is forced inward by the yoke d, so asv to compress the s ring 4 against the front follower-plate b, W ich is held in place immovably by its end vflan es 8 in engagement with the rear 'edge o the housing 3, ythe inward movement of the follower-plate b being'limited by the lugs 9 on its arms 7 engaging with the rear edge of the housing 3. Similarly, when bufling Lthe front followerlate kb is forced inward by the drawbar c an compresses the spring 4 against the rear follower-plate b', which is he d by the end flan es 8 in engagement with the ,front edge oft e housing, the inward movement of the front follower-plate b being limited by the lugs ,9 of its arms 7 engaging with the j said edge.

By this vconstruction the outer movements of the follower-plates b b of the draft-gear are limited bysurface portions of the bolster in proximity to its longitudinal center, and

4,thereby obviate the necessity of forming flanges or lugs therefor at a distance from the said center corresponding to the length of the spring plus the thickness oi -the 'followerplates, asheretofore, whereby the weight of the bolster is considerably reduced, the draftgear rendered constrained more compact, and economy effected.

.Projecting beyond the inner end of the draw-bar c, preferably at the bottom and at an equal distance on each side of the longitudinalv center thereof, is a pocket 11, which is adapted to receive the front end and adjacent portion of an auxiliary s ring 12, having its rear end' in the assemble position of the draft-gear bearing constantly against the] front side ofv the bolster a or adjacent part of the housin -thefront fellows-plate b to einer side of uw longitudinal centery oi the car, on being"l released will be automatically returned i toits l I f l stantially 4as described.

norirmlfposition or self-Centered.'

3, whereby the draw-bare, when radially to its bearing against Ido not limit myselfv to a single-spring draftgealf a's'above described, as asimilar construction of 'follower-plates with their arms and limiting-stops may be applied to' other classesof draft-gear, such'as that de= scribed in United States Letters Patent granted to. Harry M. Pilager January 10, 1905, No. 779,559, in which the springs are Varranged in the same horizontal plane, one

on each side of the longitudinal center ofthe car, in which case the auxiliary springs 12 end of the spring, a followerp'late adapted to bear against the rear end of the spring, a draw-bar adapted to engage the front follower-plate, a yoke coupled to the draw-,bar and embracing the said spring and plates, two opposite arms projecting from the inside yof each of the said plates at right angles thereto and adapted to slide longitudinally through'the housing, a flange on the free end of each of the said arms, the said flanges on the arms of the front follower-plate being adapted to engage the rear edge of the housingand the ianges on the armsof therear fol ower-plate to engage the front edge of the housing 1n lthenormal position of, and for limiting the outer movement of the said plates, and means for limiting the inner movement ofthe said plates, substantially as described. l v

2. In a draft-gear for a ralroad-ca`1", the f combination of a s ring, a suitable housing fixed to the car an having a passage longi Atudinally therethrough forthe spring, a follower-plate adapted to bear a ainst the front Ilo. `end of the spring, a follower-p ate adapted to bear against the rear end of the spring, a-

draw-bar adapted to engage vthe front fol;

lower-plate, a yoke coupled to the draw-'bar and embracing the said spring and plates, two opposite arms projecting from the inside of Veach of the saidl plates at right angles thereto, and .adapted to slide lon itudinally through the housing, a flange on t e free end 'oeach of the said arms, the said flanges onY the arms of the iront follower-plate being.

adapted toengage the rear ledge of the housvin and the /langes on the arms ofthe rear foower-plate to engageY the front edge of the housing 1n the normal position of and for limiting'v the outer movement of lthe said plates ,and a vlug on thesaid arms respectively ,adapted te engage the said edges for limiting the inner movement of the said'v plates, sublas 3. ,l'n draft-gear of the character described, the combination of a spring, a suitable housing having a passage longitudinally therethrough for the spring, a follower-plate adapted to bear against the front end of the spring, a follower-plate adapted 'to' bear a einst the rear end of the spring, a draw-bar a apted to engage the front follower-plate and radially movable horizontally thereto, a yoke coupled to the draw-bar and embracing the said spring and plates and a spring interposed betweenv the inner end of the draw-bar at each side of its longitudinal center and the said housing, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to vthis speciication in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.-

CHARLES fr. WESTLAKE.

Witnesses:

MARY D. WHITCOMB, EDWARD fW. FURRELL. 

